Disk B is 100% same in both dumps, but that contains Part 1 of game actually. And it is single sided, (since it asks after selecting Part 1 to insert disk 2, always (simple thing, what only our SPS megaexpert can not see (and yes, I have double sided drive in Steem ! ).

Indeed, you're right, disk 2 in this game is used for Stage 1. I've seen most of the time game on Atari ST being double side and single sided (ex: Dragonflight, Ivanhoe just to name a few) using a 2nd or 3rd disk single sided, to be used with ST machines using only a single sided drive.

My bad about ATW.

Side B of disk 1 is same 100% in both dumps practically - the section containing data is it, other is irrelevant. It holds audio data for start, and silly bug is present in Magnum release too. Btw. it is 10 sectors/track, unlike other parts.

Yes, Disk 2 use 11 sectors per tracks, all glued one after another

Impossible to replicate or copy this without an hardware solution

And here comes what is different: plenty of files on disk 1, side A does not match - and they are files of Part 2. Graphic errors are visible right at start of Part 2, when start from Magnum compil. STX image. So, it is just not good. Should be replaced at AM.[/quote]

Yes it is broken....

SCP dump is flawless, that is what can say now. Enjoy this game folks, if can

Well the KF dump is flawless too, so far. It can be written back on real disk and then played

Now SPS France representative since the 19th of June 2014. Proud to be an SPS member !

I compared them. Disk 2 and side B of 1 match 100%. There is only 1 sector difference between 2 Magnum dumps of side A of disk 1 . Most is same.And that means that yes, most likely it is bad release, with plenty of bad data for Part2 .

Last edited by AtariZoll on Sun Sep 03, 2017 2:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Famous Schrodinger's cat hypothetical experiment says that cat is dead or alive until we open box and see condition of poor animal, which deserved better logic. Cat is always in some certain state - regardless from is observer able or not to see what the state is.

The Magnum compilation seems to be a bad mastering problem. There is one sector missing on track 4. It is not damaged, it is the same on both dumps and it was mastered like that. Can't say if that is the problem or the only problem.

But what with the bug that Stefan found when running on 512KB machines, that is present in the retail release but not in the Magnum compilation?

I compared them. Disk 2 and side B of 1 match 100%. There is only 1 sector difference between 2 Magnum dumps of side A of disk 1 . Most is same.And that means that yes, most likely it is bad release, with plenty of bad data for Part2 .

I do not agree with this. Not until i get my hands on another dump with another original from this compilation called 'Magnum' by ubisoft.

I have never seen a ubisoft game or release sold with such a corruption directly at the start of a game. They had people to check the games back in the day.

So no, i don't buy that.

To me it's basically a disk with dirt or crap or simply in a bad shape or even with a drive with dirt that has been imaged like that, hence the result.

Now SPS France representative since the 19th of June 2014. Proud to be an SPS member !

dlfrsilver wrote:I do not agree with this. Not until i get my hands on another dump with another original from this compilation called 'Magnum' by ubisoft. I have never seen a ubisoft game or release sold with such a corruption directly at the start of a game. They had people to check the games back in the day. So no, i don't buy that.To me it's basically a disk with dirt or crap or simply in a bad shape or even with a drive with dirt that has been imaged like that, hence the result.

Well, I compared 2 independent dumps of Magnum release, and most of bad data is same on both. So, unless there is some mistake about sources, bad mastered disk seems as only explanation. Indeed, getting some other dump is good idea.

Famous Schrodinger's cat hypothetical experiment says that cat is dead or alive until we open box and see condition of poor animal, which deserved better logic. Cat is always in some certain state - regardless from is observer able or not to see what the state is.

dlfrsilver wrote:I do not agree with this. Not until i get my hands on another dump with another original from this compilation called 'Magnum' by ubisoft. I have never seen a ubisoft game or release sold with such a corruption directly at the start of a game. They had people to check the games back in the day. So no, i don't buy that.To me it's basically a disk with dirt or crap or simply in a bad shape or even with a drive with dirt that has been imaged like that, hence the result.

Well, I compared 2 independent dumps of Magnum release, and most of bad data is same on both. So, unless there is some mistake about sources, bad mastered disk seems as only explanation. Indeed, getting some other dump is good idea.

This is the problem, the main problem in fact. most people are dumping their disk without checking first for mould, or even cleaning their disk drive heads.

My own experience told me that having a sector not present in a dump, can be 2 things :

1) the disk has places where the magnetism is fading, so some sectors disappear from the disk or can't be read.

2) there is a mould spot where the sector is, this makes the drive head hiccup, which makes it miss the sector.

Seen on either Amstrad CPC dumps, and ST dumps.

Now SPS France representative since the 19th of June 2014. Proud to be an SPS member !

dlfrsilver wrote:My own experience told me that having a sector not present in a dump, can be 2 things :

1) the disk has places where the magnetism is fading, so some sectors disappear from the disk or can't be read.2) there is a mould spot where the sector is, this makes the drive head hiccup, which makes it miss the sector.

There are no sectors with errors here, only a single missing one in track 4. It is exactly the same in both dumps. Both dumps match. Are you saying that both disks got damaged in exactly the same place?

But what is more important, by doing a low level analysis of the track it is obvious here that it is a mastering error. The track is perfectly clean, and at the place that the missing sector is supposed to be there is a different sector. This can't happen only if it is was mastered like that.

There is no visible dirt on my Magnum ATW disks, but there is of course a possibility that i have bought the same copy that was used for the Atarimania STX dumps so it is probably best if anyone else with the Magnum compilation dump their copy also.

Stefan jL wrote:There is no visible dirt on my Magnum ATW disks, but there is of course a possibility that i have bought the same copy that was used for the Atarimania STX dumps so it is probably best if anyone else with the Magnum compilation dump their copy also.

exactly.

Now SPS France representative since the 19th of June 2014. Proud to be an SPS member !

Without a low level dump of one of the disks, just with the Pasti image, it is difficult to me to be certain if that is not the same copy.

And obvious that an additional dump is always useful ... BUT, AGAIN ... the missing sector in track 4 is a mastering issue, either by design or by mistake. It is not a damaged or a dirty disk. That I am certain and, again it is absolutely obvious if you analyze the dump.

What I do not know, if that is the problem or if that is the only problem and there is something else.

Stefan jL wrote:There is no visible dirt on my Magnum ATW disks, but there is of course a possibility that i have bought the same copy that was used for the Atarimania STX dumps so it is probably best if anyone else with the Magnum compilation dump their copy also.

Even if it is the case, it is extremely unlikely that some other imaging will result in exactly same errors. And we have about 64KB of bad data on Magnum release image. That's pretty much.

Famous Schrodinger's cat hypothetical experiment says that cat is dead or alive until we open box and see condition of poor animal, which deserved better logic. Cat is always in some certain state - regardless from is observer able or not to see what the state is.

Stefan jL wrote:There is no visible dirt on my Magnum ATW disks, but there is of course a possibility that i have bought the same copy that was used for the Atarimania STX dumps so it is probably best if anyone else with the Magnum compilation dump their copy also.

Even if it is the case, it is extremely unlikely that some other imaging will result in exactly same errors. And we have about 64KB of bad data on Magnum release image. That's pretty much.

that's a lot of bad data, that's another reason to get another original.

Now SPS France representative since the 19th of June 2014. Proud to be an SPS member !

I should say Magnum release images . Good luck in hunting another copy/image of it. What is most important for me is that we have flawless image of game, and that it is tested thoroughly. On base: do it yourself if want it to be done

Famous Schrodinger's cat hypothetical experiment says that cat is dead or alive until we open box and see condition of poor animal, which deserved better logic. Cat is always in some certain state - regardless from is observer able or not to see what the state is.